This isn't in perfect chronological order, because
some things overlap.
Learning how to program
When I was 8 years old, my dad gave me a Commodore VIC-20 computer.
I taught myself how to program in BASIC by reading its excellent instruction manual.
A few years layer, my dad gave me an Atari 800 XL, which could do many things the Commodore couldn't do. It also had tons of games. For many years, I loved that computer... until a lightning storm started loving it. After the power surge,
I was amazed when its diagnostic mode told me, in precise detail, exactly how fried it was!
When I was about 13, I was given a Tandy computer that ran DOS, GW Basic, and later QBasic. I used to plow through my homework in study hall, then ask if I could visit the technology class so I could copy commands for GW Basic from their instruction manual... I was not normal.
Then my mother got a Macintosh and I took a hiatus from programming for a few years until I discovered Flash.
Many years layer, when I was going to Collins College, I had a few classes that taught the basics of programming in C++. It came fairly easily to me, but I haven't had any reason to pursue it further.
When I was around 17, I discovered RPG Maker 95.
I was in heaven! I had never been able to make a real game before!
I later acquired RPG Maker 2000, which I loved even more! It was fun to push it to its limits, making it do things it was never designed to do. And I still play with it to this day!
Flash
One day in high school, I got jealous when one of the kids used Flash to create an impressive class project. So I started teaching myself how to use it.
Later on, I discovered RPG Maker 2000, and sort of ignored Flash for awhile.
Then a few years ago, I was creating a game similar to Zelda with real-time combat. But the things I had to do just to make it work were getting ridiculous. So I finally got fed up and switched over to Flash for the most part.
Ever since then, I have wanted to create an RPG Maker in Flash, so that I could have the best of both worlds. I've only just now gotten around to it.
College
I went to 2 colleges:
MVCC & Collins College
After high school, I wanted to create video games, but the closest thing offered at the local
college was 3D animation, so I studied art and 3D Studio Max. The art classes completely reinvented my approach to drawing. MVCC was really worth it!
Then, I arbitrarily chose another college that did offer courses in game design. Compared to MVCC, Collins College was a joke, and much more expensive.
Most of the things they taught were things I had already experimented with during high school. But I did learn a few new things.
Call me a fool, but after that, I decided to stop chasing things I was supposed to want (a career thingie), and focus on the things that actually mattered to me.
(a steady paycheck and a hobby)
So I moved back near my family, got a job at a nearby store, and have pretty much everything I really want in life.
My mother still thinks I'm crazy.
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